[Stefano]

We spent quite a bit of time discussing the JD subject and hashing it out on this public forum many years ago. I had the opportunity to speak directly to many involved with the subject, over the years. Several noted authors had also spoken to Jack while he was still alive in order to get the scoop from the "horses mouth". In my opinion there is some missleading speculation.

Jack was the youngest Chevrolet Dealer ever at that time. He inherited the Dealership from his father, who was I believe a retired GM engineer or exec.

There was no intent for him to try and pull one over on Don. While Jack knew Don from some of the road racing events, it was Jim Spencer of Span Inc, who signed Jack up to be a Yenko Network Dealer (also a road racer).

While Jack was not directly lied to, he was lead to believe, that the 1969 Yenkos were being built, to include the 427 /L72s by Yenko Chevrolet.

Jack had remembered the meeting being in the late Summer, early Fall of 1968, so maybe COPO 9561 had not been ironed out quite yet. Upon recieving the first truck load from Yenko/Canonsburg he discovered that he could order such cars himself as there is a financial interest to do so. (known as hold back and turn and earn credits).

Yenko did not have stripe kits available for sale over the counter when Jack placed his direct order as it was placed soon after recieving his first shipment. (Just didn't materialize until months later) Not many people in Chicago Land knew who Don Yenko was or really anything about him. "Yenko" desirability did not usually out do the "427-L72" option, to the original owners I have comunicated with, back then.

Jack recalled the 24 maybe 25 Camaros he ordered this way: Once he determined that he could order cars himself per the Yenko Blue print he ordered 4 cars of each Yenko color. So that is 24 cars. He placed the order within days of his discovering the COPO options. The day after he placed the order (IBM punch cards) his GM / Tom Dumas suggested that they add additional options and colors to their order and the changes were submitted. He could not recall the exact color break down and since Tom always drove a Black Demo, they both recalled having ordered at least one in black, but did not reacall if the black car replaced one of the 24 or was added to the total.

Someone from GM must have contacted Don and let him know that Jack had discovered how to place a direct order and Don Yenko called Jack soon thereafter. Jack's own words were that they had a "very heated discussion" (this is where there is varying opinion). This in large part because Jack thought that he had been cheated/misrepresented. The direct ordered cars were not even built yet and wouldn't even show up for months later.

This telephone conversation is when Don and Jack hashed out an agreement to sell the direct order cars as Yenkos and pay a royalty to Yenko, which included getting stripes and badges from him.


I believe the Yenko Estate document Kurt is referring to mentions 22 COPOs

12 of the 24 subject cars have been accounted for.

Automatic and Manuals have been found

Additional options have been noted

Both Vinyl Top and non Vinyl

All thus far have been X11 D80 in close body number sequence

Endura Bumpers have been documented on many of the found COPOs ( Jack stated that all had endura as Dumas was a big fan)

Not all recieved Yenko stripes and/or badges

The original paint COPOs found without Yenko stripes have style trim pinstripes.

One original owner, who opted out of the Yenko stripes had D90 stripes applied at the dealership, but also already had Yenko Badges.

With only approx 1/2 accounted for it will be interesting to see what else gets discovered over time.